"The Crimson Kimono" (1959), directed by "cult" filmmaker Samuel Fuller, comes from the tail end of the film noir period; a year later it would have been classed as a neo-noir. As it is, it's an excellent little thriller, well acted and bolstered by a particularly good script, courtesy of Fuller himself.
This screenplay is also among the oddest in the dark world of noir: after an exhilarating opening scene detailing the killing of burlesque queen Sugar Torch, the story of the hunting down of the murder takes a backseat to a (for then) ground breaking inter-racial love triangle, with American LAPD cop Charlie Bancroft (Glenn Corbett) and Japanese LAPD Detective (James Shigeta) falling for Christine Downes (Victoria Shaw). There is no negative stereotypes here and of the three Shigeta gives the best performance, however all the acting is to an admirably high standard, as is Fuller's characteristically brilliant use of long takes, aided by Oscar winning cameraman Sam Leavitt.
Fuller's movies always had an extra vibrancy to them, and this no different with surprisingly modern feeling editing by Jerome Thoms and sharp direction. A classic noir that deserves to be as well as known as Fuller's other crime greats, this one not to miss.
This screenplay is also among the oddest in the dark world of noir: after an exhilarating opening scene detailing the killing of burlesque queen Sugar Torch, the story of the hunting down of the murder takes a backseat to a (for then) ground breaking inter-racial love triangle, with American LAPD cop Charlie Bancroft (Glenn Corbett) and Japanese LAPD Detective (James Shigeta) falling for Christine Downes (Victoria Shaw). There is no negative stereotypes here and of the three Shigeta gives the best performance, however all the acting is to an admirably high standard, as is Fuller's characteristically brilliant use of long takes, aided by Oscar winning cameraman Sam Leavitt.
Fuller's movies always had an extra vibrancy to them, and this no different with surprisingly modern feeling editing by Jerome Thoms and sharp direction. A classic noir that deserves to be as well as known as Fuller's other crime greats, this one not to miss.